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This dataset offers valuable insights into the luminescence saturation behaviour of 63–90 µm quartz grains sourced from the Carpathian Basin, as examined under controlled laboratory conditions. Its significance lies not only in shedding light on the luminescence properties specific to this region but also in facilitating comparative analyses with quartz samples from other geographic areas. Moreover, the dataset contributes novel findings to the ongoing investigations concerning the upper dating limit of quartz grains, which holds implications for refining luminescence dating methodologies. Grounded in the framework of several previous studies which underscore the challenges associated with utilizing quartz from certain regions for precise dose measurements, the dataset addresses the crucial aspect of setting upper dose limits for accurate luminescence dating. Consequently, the study conducts a series of tests to assess the proximity of natural sensitivity-corrected luminescence signals to laboratory saturation levels, particularly focusing on quartz samples from the Kisiljevo loess-palaeosol sequence. The dataset includes data from OSL saturation experiments conducted on sample 23019, along with associated calculations encompassing all 19 collected samples. This comprehensive dataset serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners engaged in luminescence dating studies, offering detailed insights into saturation behaviours and dose-response characteristics of quartz grains from the Carpathian Basin. Beyond its immediate research implications, the dataset holds significant potential for reuse in various contexts. Researchers exploring luminescence properties of geological materials, particularly quartz grains, can leverage this dataset to compare saturation behaviours across different regions, thus enriching our understanding of luminescence dating methodologies on a broader scale. Additionally, the dataset could inform future studies on refining dose limits and calibration protocols, ultimately enhancing the accuracy and reliability of luminescence dating techniques. In summary, this dataset not only advances our understanding of luminescence saturation behaviours in quartz grains from the Carpathian Basin but also fosters collaborative research efforts aimed at refining luminescence dating methodologies and addressing broader questions in geochronology and palaeoenvironmental studies.

Abstract Widespread and frequent droughts have affected most parts of Europe over recent years, but it remains unclear when this synchronous drying trend began and how it has been influenced by anthropogenic forcing. Here we reconstruct and explore the history of drought in southern Europe over the past 300 years using an annual record of tree-ring oxygen isotopes from a site in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The reconstruction suggests that the onset of the drying trend in southern Europe occurred around the 1850s, which is consistent with previous studies demonstrating the extensive and long-lasting drying across central and western European areas. The evidence from CMIP6 model and reanalysis data demonstrates that anthropogenic warming has enhanced the strength of land–atmosphere coupling and exacerbated the widespread drying trend since the 1850s.

We present data on molluscan fauna within the L3 loess unit (and partially within the S3 paleosol) from the key loess section of Veliki Surduk in Serbia. The section correlates to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 and late MIS 9 and, thus, spans the time frame from ~350 to 250 ka. The Veliki Surduk loess–paleosol sequence (LPS) is located on the northwestern margin of the Titel loess plateau and comprises ~30 m of sediments. Our focus is on a 5.4 m thick sedimentary interval, which was sampled at 20 cm increments, each sample covering approximately 2 ky. Nine mollusk species were identified in the loess sequence: Granaria frumentum, Helicopsis striata, Pupilla triplicata, Chondrula tridens, Pupilla muscorum, Succinella oblonga, Punctum pygmaeum, Vallonia costata, and Vitrina pellucida, as well as a few unidentified slug taxa (Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, and Milacidae). The majority of the snail assemblage occurs at the transition between MIS 9 and MIS 8, suggesting a mostly dry climate and an open and steppe-like habitat. The fauna identified in the upper part of the paleosol layer S3, below the L3 unit, indicated aridification.

This paper explores the current state and the perspectives of sustainable cave tourism development of show caves in Serbia. The results of the research were determined through the application of the newly developed methodology—Show Cave Assessment Model (SCAM). The obtained results of the research indicate shortcomings in terms of the protection of underground ecosystems and the tourist infrastructure. Moreover, based on the obtained data, future perspectives of the cave tourism development in Serbia include the establishment of karst parks, the affirmation of speleoarchaeology and the creation of innovative show cave routes. The focus is also placed on the importance of applying appropriate geoethical principles in cave tourism. The adventurous concept of cave tourism, which includes visiting caves that are not arranged for classic cave tours, and requires special equipment and professional guides, is particularly highlighted. Final results of the reserarch confirmed that the popularization and application of ethically responsible behavior towards underground karst ecosystems is necessary in order to preserve speleological geoheritage for current and future generations of local residents, tourists, managers, scientists and researchers, mountaineers, enthusiasts and speleologists.

In February 1963, a huge landslide (ca. 1,950,000 m3) blocked the Visočica River and, thus, formed Zavoj Lake. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the importance of snowmelt in relation to landslide occurrence and to define the critical climatic conditions that may trigger massive winter landslides. We used monthly precipitation and average monthly maximum temperature data from meteorological and precipitation stations in the Visočica River basin (Dojkinci) and in the immediate proximity of Lake Zavoj (Pirot, Dimitrovgrad and Topli Do) as data inputs to the Snow-Melt Landslide (SML) index. It considers the summed monthly precipitation for previous months that continuously have an average maximum temperature below 0 °C. According to this method, the event at Zavoj Lake stands out among all other precipitation and snowmelt values for the past 72 years. After applying the SML index, all stations showed values of >300 mm for February 1963, which we consider as the threshold value for potential landslides appearance. In addition to meteorological data, we applied the SML index to data from the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) regional climate model outputs for the region from 2022 to 2100. As expected, climate change will have influenced the temperature values, especially during the winter. Conversely, the study area is experiencing drastic changes in land use caused by depopulation, leading to a reduced risk of winter landslides in the Visočica basin. We suggest that future climatic conditions in the area will make it more likely to experience extreme summer precipitation events, which might trigger large landslides. The SML method can be implemented for all landscapes that experience snowy winters, providing information in a timely manner so that local residents can react properly when the probability of landslide occurrence rises. The SML index, grounded in essential meteorological principles, provides a tailor-made, data-driven methodology applicable across varied geographical settings. Its utility extends to mitigating hydro-meteorological hazards on scales ranging from local to national scales, offering diverse and effective early warning solutions.

This comprehensive study investigates the intricate interplay between geodiversity, geohazards, and anthropogenic influences within the Kratovska Reka catchment—an area distinguished by its remarkable geosites. Kratovska Reka, spanning a length of 17.3 km, serves as the left tributary to Kriva Reka. The watershed of Kratovska Reka, covering an area of 68.5 km2, is situated on the northwestern inclines of the Osogovo Mts in North Macedonia. Despite harboring exceptional geodiversity, the area lacks protective measures for its myriad geosites. Evaluating susceptibility to geohazards, including excessive erosion, landslides, and flash floods, this research identifies heightened risk zones, particularly in the valley of Kratovska Reka and its tributaries. A multi-hazard model reveals that 56.07% of the basin is vulnerable to geohazards. The study correlates lithological composition, relief features, and morphometric characteristics with geohazards, emphasizing the significance of paleovolcanic relief in resisting excessive erosion. Human-induced factors, notably deforestation and inappropriate land use, amplify geohazards. This research underscores the urgent need for geosite protection and sustainable land management to mitigate geohazards’ impacts. Additionally, it explores the correlation between land use practices and geodiversity, emphasizing the importance of responsible land management in safeguarding the geological and geomorphological values of the researched area.

The aim of this paper is to perform a tourist assessment of the representative speleoarchaeological geoheritage in Serbia for the purposes of establishing new cave tourism destinations in Serbia. Seven caves have been selected based on their speleoarcheological values. However, only two of them are currently available for visiting. The research results were obtained by using the M-GAM model and they indicate exceptional tourist potential which still remains mainly untapped. To maximize this potential and develop this type of tourism in the future, an initiative strategy for the inclusion of speleoarchaeological values into contemporary tourism flows was also proposed. The focus is set on the establishment of speleoarchaeological visitor centers and a unique tourist affirmation of the researched scientific and educational potential. The presented strategy must be set as a priority in the future in order to contribute to further sustainability of scientific and socio-economic progress through speleotourism development.

In this article, a dataset of age-depth modelling data, sedimentation rates and dust mass accumulation rates (MAR) from four loess-palaeosol sequences from the Carpathian Basin is presented. The dataset is related to the article “Detailed luminescence dating of dust mass accumulation rates over the last two glacial-interglacial cycles from the Irig loess-palaeosol sequence, Carpathian Basin”, published in the journal Global and Planetary Change by Perić et al. [1].In the dataset, luminescence ages from the loess sites Irig, Nosak, Stari Slankamen and Crvenka were modeled using the r.bacon software after which the dust mass accumulation rates were calculated. For a more realistic representation the MARs were subsequently smoothed using the SigmaPlot software. For all sites, minimum, maximum, median and mean values for the modelled ages and accumulation rates are calculated and presented.

Kratovska Reka is a short (17.3 km) left tributary of Kriva Reka, whose watershed (68.5 km2) is located on the northwestern slopes of the Osogovo Mountains (North Macedonia). Due to the favorable natural conditions and anthropogenic factors, the Kratovska Reka catchment is under a high risk of natural hazards, especially water erosion and landslide occurrences. For this reason, the paper presents an approach of modelling of potential erosion and areas susceptible to the above-mentioned hydro-meteorological hazards in the Kratovska River catchment. Firstly, this study analyzed the main geographical features that contribute to intensive erosion processes in the area. Then, using the Gavrilović EPM erosion potential method, an average value of 0.56 was obtained for the erosion coefficient Z, indicating areas prone to high erosion risk. Furthermore, by using landslide susceptibility analysis (LSA), terrains susceptible to landslides were identified. The results shows that 1/3 of the catchment is very susceptible to mass movements in wet conditions (landslides). According to the combined multi-hazard model, 3.13% of the total area of the Kratovska River catchment is both at high risk of landslides and under severe erosion. The Kratovska River catchment is significantly endangered by the excessive water erosion processes (39.86%), especially on the steep valley sides, i.e., terrains that are completely exposed, under sparse vegetation, and open to the effects of distribution/concentration of the rainfall amounts throughout the year. Identifying locations with the highest erosion risk serves as the initial step in defining and implementing appropriate mitigation measures across local and regional scales, thus enhancing overall resilience to environmental challenges.

In this study, the compiled malacological record of the two most important loess–palaeosol sequences (LPS) in Serbia was used to reconstruct the Malacothermometer July Paleotemperature (MTJP) of the last nine glacials. The sieved loess samples yielded shells of 11 terrestrial gastropod species that were used to estimate the MTJP. Veliki Surduk (covering the last three glacial cycles) and Stari Slankamen (covering the last fourth to ninth glacial cycle) LPSs previously lacked the malacological investigations. After the sieving, a total of 66,871 shells were found, from which 48,459 shells were used for the estimation of the MTJP. Through the studied period, the reconstructed MTJP was ranging from 14.4 °C to 21.5 °C. The lowest temperature was recorded during the formation of the loess unit L5, equivalent to the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12. The second-coldest summers were occurring during the MIS 16 glacial. Although the warmest glacial was L8 (MIS 20) according to MTJP, these July temperatures might be overestimated due to only two samples from the poorly preserved L8 unit. The malacological material derived from the loess units at Veliki Surduk and Stari Slankamen LPSs showed great potential for July temperature reconstruction, as the comparison with other regional records showed similar climate changes. Further work is necessary to validate the age scale of the oldest samples, and a higher resolution sampling could lead to more detailed July temperature fluctuations, as was shown for the youngest glacial in this study. Likewise, estimating the July temperature using different proxies (e.g., pollen) from the same LPSs could be used to confirm the observed climate trends.

The very turbulent geological past of the Danube region in Serbia, coupled with the influence of the Danube River, has created a rich and complex geodiversity. However, the geotourism potential of this region still remains fully undiscovered. In this paper we proposed an inventory of geosites in the Danube region of Serbia and analyzed them in order to reveal which among them possess the greatest geotourism potential. The selected sites were analyzed by applying the Modified Geosite Assessment Model (M-GAM) which revealed the most suitable geosites for future geotourism development. The main goal is to emphasize the geotourism potential of the Danube region in Serbia and determine the current state and geotourism potential of geosites located in this region. The results indicate that further geotourism development should primarily be focused towards Boljetinska River Canyon, Galerija volcanic tuff site and Viminacium palaeontological park. The results also reveal information about the major fields of improvement for each geosite and identify which areas require more attention and better management in the future in order for this area to become a well-known geotourism destination which would attract a larger number of tourists in the future.

Typical patterns of the Late Pleistocene loess–paleosol units are preserved in the Novo Orahovo brickyard, Northern Serbia. Presented preliminary luminescence chronology supports the chronostratigraphic interpretations of global isotopic marine climate reconstructions. Magnetic susceptibility and sedimentological evidence exhibit general similarities with the marine oxygen-isotope stratigraphy. These records provide new insights into the dust accumulation regimes over the eastern side of the Bačka loess plateau and offer new paleoenvironmental information for the region. They represent an important step forward towards the establishment of a catena from the thin loess-like sediments of the Banat foothills in the east towards the thicker and seemingly more complete loess sections of the southeastern and central Carpathian Basin. Grain-size data from the loess record of Nova Orahovo explain the regional differentiation in dust deposition.

The Western Balkans (WB) region is highly prone to water erosion processes, and therefore, the estimation of rainfall erosivity (R-factor) is essential for understanding the complex relationships between hydro-meteorological factors and soil erosion processes. The main objectives of this study are to (1) estimate the spatial-temporal distribution R-factor across the WB region by applying the RUSLE and RUSLE2 methodology with data for the period between 1991 and 2020 and (2) apply cluster analysis to identify places of high erosion risk, and thereby offer a means of targeting suitable mitigation measures. To assess R-factor variability, the ERA5 reanalysis hourly data (0.25° × 0.25° spatial resolution) comprised 390 grid points were used. The calculations were made on a decadal resolution (i.e., for the 1990s, the 2000s, and the 2010s), as well as for the whole study period (1991–2020). In order to reveal spatial patterns of rainfall erosivity, a k-means clustering algorithm was applied. Visualization and mapping were performed in python using the Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Cartopy libraries. Hourly precipitation intensity and monthly precipitation totals exhibited pronounced variability over the study area. High precipitation values were observed in the SW with a >0.3 mm h−1 average, while the least precipitation was seen in the Pannonian Basin and far south (Albanian coast), where the mean intensity was less than an average of 0.1 mm h−1. R-factor variability was very high for both the RUSLE and RUSLE2 methods. The mean R-factor calculated by RUSLE2 was 790 MJ mm ha−1·h−1·yr−1, which is 58% higher than the mean R-factor obtained from RUSLE (330 MJ mm ha−1·h−1·yr−1). The analysis of the R-factor at decadal timescales suggested a rise of 14% in the 2010s. The k-means algorithm for both the RUSLE and RUSLE2 methods implies better spatial distribution in the case of five clusters (K = 5) regarding the R-factor values. The rainfall erosivity maps presented in this research can be seen as useful tools for the assessment of soil erosion intensity and erosion control works, especially for agriculture and land use planning. Since the R-factor is an important part of soil erosion models (RUSLE and RUSLE2), the results of this study can be used as a guide for soil control works, landscape modeling, and suitable mitigation measures on a regional scale.

Renewable energy sources (RES) have the possibility to regenerate in a shorter time interval than the non-renewable energy sources and that is why they have always been the subject of interest, especially in the last decades. The Republic of Serbia has RES in the form of solar, wind, the power of water flow, geothermal heat, and biomass. The scientific research conducted in July 2016 in Temska village (City of Pirot) aimed to assess inhabitants’ attitudes and awareness of using RES. By interviewing 167 respondents, it is concluded that inhabitants do not have sufficient knowledge of quality and information on RES. Mostly, they are familiar with all terms: hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy (over 80%), and the term of biomass energy as well (70.7%). There is an extremely high level of misinformation about the RES subventions that are provided by the Government of the Republic of Serbia (up to 85.6% of respondents are not informed). These subventions are published in the Regulation on incentive measures for the production of electricity from RES and are based on the Feed-in Tariff system that is defined as non-refundable financial assistance from the state. A small number of respondents use RES, but a considerable number (21.6% ‘yes’ and 47.3% ‘maybe’) that does not use RES is interested, or already planning to use it in the future.

In mid-latitude Eurasia, loess-paleosol sequences (LPS) provide the most widespread sedimentary records of Quaternary paleoenvironmental evolution. In the Middle Danube Basin (MDB), these archives cover at least the last million years of climate history, and occasionally contain archeological findings. The studied Zemun LPS is located on the right bank of the Danube in Northern Serbia. The site was declared as a protected site, based on Paleolithic artifacts found on the riverbank and stemming from unknown stratigraphic levels of the loess cliffs exposed along the Danube. The present study aims to provide a stratigraphic, paleoenvironmental, and temporal context for the Zemun LPS by means of environmental magnetic and colorimetric methods. Our investigations result in a chronostratigraphic scheme allowing direct comparison with other well-established reference records in the MDB and elsewhere. Two potential tephra layers tentatively assigned to the so-called L2 and Bag tephras, which are both widespread in the MDB and beyond were investigated for their bulk magnetic properties. The resulting integrated age model suggests that the Zemun LPS records a detailed history of a quasi-continuous accumulation of mineral dust from Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 11–5a (c. 430–60 ka). The outcome of our integrative approach indicates a continuous aridification over the last four interglacial/glacial cycles and we discuss potential changes in seasonality over time.

The Carpathian Basin is a key region for understanding modern human expansion into western Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene because of numerous early hominid fossil find spots. However, the corresponding archeological record remains less understood due to a paucity of well dated, contextualized sites. To help rectify this, we excavated and sampled Crvenka-At (Serbia), one of the largest Upper Paleolithic sites in the region to obtain radiometric ages for the archeological artifacts and evaluate their depositional context and subsequent site formation processes. Our results confirm that this locality represents a multiple-occupation Aurignacian site that dates to 36.4 ± 2.8 ka based on modeling of luminescence ages. Electrical resistivity tomography measurements indicate that the site formed on a sandy-gravelly fill terrace covered by overbank deposits. Complex grain size distributions further suggest site formation in contrasting depositional environments typically occurring alongside fluvial channels, at lakeshores, in alluvial fan or delta settings. The site is thus the closest (ca. 50 km) known Aurignacian site to the earliest undisputed modern human remains in Europe at the Peştera cu oase and some intervals of the occupation may therefore have been contemporaneous with them. This suggests that modern humans, during their initial settlement of Europe, exploited a wider range of topographic and ecological settings than previously posited. Our findings indicate that lowland areas of the Carpathian Basin are an important part of understanding the early settlement patterns of modern humans in Europe.

Supraregional (palaeo)geoecological studies require detailed knowledge of the distribution of aeolian sediments and their sources. Such spatial data can be visualised and shared in maps, but often these are constrained in their resolution or extent. This is the case for the Carpathian Basin, where cross-border maps are not detailed enough to answer many research questions. Problems occur especially along political borders due to different geological mapping standards and varying lithological definitions. Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), we compiled a map showing the distribution of loess and related Quaternary sediments in the Carpathian Basin, with unprecedented detail. We vectorised and analysed existing data (mainly from geological maps) and combined and transferred these into a common (loess) sediment classification system. This cross-border map shows the distribution of aeolian sediments in the Carpathian Basin at a scale of 1:1,500,000. For the northwestern and the southern Carpathian Basin, we added maps that clarify the extent of late Pleistocene and Holocene terrace and floodplain deposits, which were merged in the Main Map to highlight the predominant dust source areas for this region.

Abstract Understanding the past dynamics of large-scale atmospheric systems is crucial for our knowledge of the palaeoclimate conditions in Europe. Southeastern Europe currently lies at the border between Atlantic, Mediterranean, and continental climate zones. Past changes in the relative influence of associated atmospheric systems must have been recorded in the region’s palaeoarchives. By comparing high-resolution grain-size, environmental magnetic and geochemical data from two loess-palaeosol sequences in the Lower Danube Basin with other Eurasian palaeorecords, we reconstructed past climatic patterns over Southeastern Europe and the related interaction of the prevailing large-scale circulation modes over Europe, especially during late Marine Isotope Stage 3 (40,000–27,000 years ago). We demonstrate that during this time interval, the intensification of the Siberian High had a crucial influence on European climate causing the more continental conditions over major parts of Europe, and a southwards shift of the Westerlies. Such a climatic and environmental change, combined with the Campanian Ignimbrite/Y-5 volcanic eruption, may have driven the Anatomically Modern Human dispersal towards Central and Western Europe, pointing to a corridor over the Eastern European Plain as an important pathway in their dispersal.

For the investigation of geographical, monthly, seasonal, and annual distributions of aridity and its annual trend in the region of the Central and Southern Pannonian Basin (CSPB), which includes the territories of Hungary and Vojvodina (Northern Serbia), the De Martonne Aridity Index (DMAI) was used. The DMAI was originally calculated from a total of 78 meteorological stations with the maximum available time series of climatological data in three cases: 1931–2017 for Hungary; 1949–2017 for Vojvodina; and 1949–2017 for Hungary and Vojvodina jointly. The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) was used to control the DMAI results. Temperature and precipitation trends were also investigated to understand their effects on the aridity trend. Three aridity types are distinguished on the annual level, five on the seasonal level, and four on the monthly level. The annual aridity had no trends in all three periods. It seems that aridity can be considered a more stable climate indicator of climate change than the temperature, at least in the CSPB.

The annual trends of surface mean monthly air temperature and monthly extreme temperatures were analyzed from ten meteorological stations in Kosovo. The data refer to observation periods between 1949 and 1999 for four stations, and observation periods between 1965 and 1999 for the remaining six stations. Trends were analyzed for nine time series. Positive trends were found in six series, and negative trends were found in three series. After an assessment of these trends using the Mann–Kendall test, positive trends were confirmed in four series, a negative trend was confirmed in one series, and in one series there was no trend, whereas trends were characterized as slightly positive in two time series and slightly negative in one series.

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) have greatly expanded in both distribution and abundance during the last few decades, and are the most abundant cervids in Europe today. The aim of this paper is to determine the factors that have the most considerable impact on roe deer numbers in the Vojvodina region (North Serbia). Environmental (area in ha, total area of forest and total area of meadows and pastures in hunting ground) and anthropogenic (number of registered hunters, number of hunting sections, number of gamekeepers and roads in km on 1,000 ha) factors had been shown to influence the number of roe deer in Vojvodina region. A multiple regression analysis was carried out as the main statistical approach. The mapping of certain parameters was done using ArcGIS 9.2 software in order to establish the relation between the roe deer population and the different environmental and anthropogenic conditions. The results signify that the roe deer number dependency in the Vojvodina region is a very complex and multi-factorial phenomenon, strongly influenced by human induced modifications.

A recent forest fire in the Republic of Serbia is discussed concerning classification, legislative framework and fire management, giving a detailed analysis of the forest fire occurrence. Analysing past and predicting future fires are crucial for policy development and forest management practices to prevent and mitigate fires. Fire hazard is discussed through several fire protection and prevention legislative documents. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall test was used to analyse resent forest fire data in an attempt to find causality in occurrences and frequency. The meteorological data and fire statistics provided by the Serbian Hydro-meteorological Service and the Ministry of Interior/Sector for Emergency Management of the Republic of Serbia were used to calculate the Forest Fire Weather Indices, along with deficit or surplus of precipitation for the case study of Tara Mountain. The paper highlights the need for better hierarchical classification of fire hazards and its harmonisation along with standardisations presented by leading international research institutions. A significant correlation between meteorological parameters and forest fire occurrence was found. This opens a possibility for further investigation and analysis of geophysical and anthropogenic driven factors that can influence disaster occurrence.

In this study, aridity data and tree ring data were collected in Northern Serbia, in Southeast (SE) Banat, a subregion within Vojvodina, and Vojvodina at large. They were each investigated independently. The De Martonne Aridity Index and the Forestry Aridity Index are derived from examining the relationship between precipitation and surface air temperature data sets sourced from seven meteorological stations in SE Banat, and from 10 meteorological stations located in Vojvodina as a whole. Vojvodina is a large territory and used as the control area, for the period 1949−2017. The Palmer Drought Severity Index was derived for the period 1927−2016, for both SE Banat and the totality of Vojvodina. The results of the Tree Ring Width Index were obtained from samples collected in or around the villages of Vlajkovac and Šušara, both located in SE Banat, for the period 1927−2017. These tree ring records were compared with three previous aridity and drought indices, and the meteorological data on the surface air temperature and the precipitation, with the objective being to evaluate the response of tree growth to climate dynamics in the SE Banat subregion. It was noted that the significant positive temperature trends recorded in both areas were too insufficient to trigger any trends in aridity or the Tree Ring Width Index, as neither displayed any change. Instead, it appears that these climatic parameters only changed in response to the precipitation trend, which remained unchanged during the investigated period, rather than in response to the temperature trend. It appears that the forest vegetation in the investigated areas was not affected significantly by climate change in response to the dominant temperature increase.

Anthropogenic influence on weather has been increasingly published and discussed in the last decades. Climate changes caused by inadvertent anthropogenic influence are well underway. Hail suppression, which has been proven to have no influence on weather, will be considered in the article. Even though hail suppression as scientifically ungrounded activity seemed to promise certain success several decades ago, it has spread over the whole territory of the Republic of Serbia after abundant experience, when many developed countries have given up on this activity. Reasons will be presented for the senselessness of hail suppression based on the latest research. By processing all hail data from the territory of Serbia in the period from 1967 to 2010, it was found out that the hail trend is rising which is in contrary to expectations and previous claims that hail suppression decreases hail frequency.

Natural disasters and their effects have evolved to reflect the complexities of the physical and human environments, and their interactions in the modern world. After the earthquake and the tsunami of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors in March 2011 activists, lobbyist and reporters were quick to expose nuclear technology and demand if not an immediate closure, than at least a gradual phasing out of nuclear power plants. Further research on topics such as the safety of nuclear power plants, the environmental and social effects of radioactive contamination, and the potential of nuclear energy as a world power source has a critical role in this ongoing debate in order to reduce consumption of fossil fuels, and continuing rise in national energy demands for providing powerful motivators in the search for alternative energy sources.

The paper discusses the definitions of natural disasters and recommends the implementation of definitions and classifications of natural disasters in accordance with those decreed at the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) and Munich Re insurance Company (Munich RE) for administrative use in the Republic of Serbia. For the Republic of Serbia, the issue of natural disasters is presented both through government documents (e.g. the Law on Emergencies and the National Strategy of the Protection and Rescue in Emergencies) and the survey of the frequency and typology of disasters. Significant discrepancies exist between older and more contemporary classifications of disasters in Serbia. They are especially emphasized in comparison to the CRED and Munich RE classifications and databases. This causes problems in the monitoring, recording and assessment of the effects of natural disasters. It is proposed that definitions be adapted and implemented into legislative and other documents.

This paper presents a preliminary geosite physical assessment model which has the potential to assist in the sustainable planning and management of natural heritage locations and their transformation into tourism destination. The methodology is based on several existing models and presented through two groups of values – main and additional, which are further divided into indicators and subindicators respectively. The resultant model is a graph that consists of nine fields, into which geosites can be classified as fitting into nine general areas of suitability for tourism in terms of their main (scientific/educational, aesthetic/scenic and protection as market appeal and conservation) and additional values (functional and tourism use as current stage of development). This could prove to be of great help to natural heritage protection and tourism managers, as they could assess the current state of a geosite and thence propose a future path for it.

Loess-palaeosol sequences preserve the most important continental record of climatic and environmental changes during the Quaternary. As a significant element of global geodiversity and geoheritage, loess-palaeosol sequences could be used as resources for a contemporary trend in sustainable tourism – geotourism. This form of tourism appreciates and promotes non-living nature (geodiversity) through its conservation and interpretation. This further leads to enhancing public awareness of these sites. In this study, we report on a proposal for establishing geotourism at the most important loess sites in the Vojvodina region.

The complete drying out of the Aral and Caspian seas, as isolated continental water bodies, and their potential impact on the climate and environment is examined with numerical simulations. Simulations use the atmospheric general circulation model (ECHAM5) as well as the hydrological discharge (HD) model of the Max-Planck-Institut für Meteorologie. The dry out is represented by replacing the water surfaces in both of the seas with land surfaces. New land surface elevation is lower, but not lover than 50 m from the present mean sea level. Other parameters in the model remain unchanged. The initial meteorological data is real; starting with January 1, 1989 and lasting until December 31, 1991. The final results were analyzed only for the second, as the first year of simulation was used for the model spinning up. The drying out of both seas leads to an increase in land surface and average monthly air temperature during the summer, and a decrease of land surface and average monthly air temperature during the winter, above the Caspian Sea. The greatest difference in temperature between dry and not dry cases have the same values, about 7–8 °C in both seasons, while daily extremes of temperature are much more pronounced. In the wider local/regional area, close to both seas, drying out leads to a difference in average annual temperatures by about 1 °C. On a global scale, the average annual temperature remains unchanged and the configuration of the isotherms remain unchanged, except for over some of the continents. In winter, Central Asia becomes cooler, while over Australia, southern Africa, and South America, it becomes slightly less warm. Furthermore, a new heat island occurs in western Sahara during summer.

The year 1912 is annus mirabilis for Earth sciences. In two crucial papers Alfred Wegener and Milutin Milanković independently set up revolutionary theories based on far-reaching visions of continental drift and climate orbital forcing. Their contributions simultaneously did for the Earth sciences what the theory of evolution did for biology and what the theory of relativity did for physics. They provided Earth sciences with a comprehensive perspective of Earth’s dynamics in both astronomical and terrestrial terms, and revolutionized geology by abandoning the ideas of a climatologically self-sufficient Earth and unmovable continents – remnants of the old geocentric picture of the unmoving, centered Earth. In the secular sense they finally completed the heliocentric theory that was set up by Copernicus. This paper follows the strange synchronicity in their life and work cycles.

Loess “caves” (piping caverns, wells, tunnels) exposed in loess cliffs are rare pseudokarst landforms that can be regarded as morphological equivalents to collapse dolines or sinkholes formed in classical karst terrains. This study presents the results of an investigation into a loess cave exposed in a loess cliff on the right bank of the Danube River near the village of Surduk in the Vojvodina region, Serbia. This study provides a first detailed morphologic description of this young pseudokarstic landform formed by piping erosion, probably partly supported with carbonate dissolution. The loess “cave” has a height of approximately 12 m and average diameter of around 3.5 m. In the middle of the cave ceiling there is a window. Observations indicate that over the last several years, the morphological characteristics of the landform have been stable. The main aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of the evolution of the piping process in the thick loess-paleosol sequences in the Vojvodina region, northern Serbia. A key role in the genesis of this landform was the short distance between an initial loess doline and a cliff exposing loess sediments, providing the possibility for the lateral removal of loess material. The presence of Robinia pseudoakacia trees around the initial depression modulated the evolution of the doline and provides support for the loess cavern roof. The nature of the dynamic erosional processes on the steep cliffs of the soft loess sediment indicates a very limited lifetime of this pseudokarstic landform.